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f T @with tatie lidstaat @time CHARLES H. VANHOUTEN AND JOSET'H M. CRANE, OF NEWARK, N'Elir JERSEY.

Letters Paten-t No. 63,674, dated April 9, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES POR POUNGNG HATS.

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TO ALL Wil-IOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it know-n that we, CHARLES H. VANuoU'ruN and Josera M. Cnam, et' Newark, in the county of Essex,

and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and improved Machine for Pouneing Hats and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying '(llaw'ings, forming part of this specification.

rlhe nature of our invention consists in the employment of a metal ring for the purpose of holding down the hat in its proper position`upon the block while it is being pounced. It is hinged to-onc side of a conical disk that is adjusted up or down so as to fit the size or depth of the crown ofthe hat. It further consists of a. treadle or shifting lever, in combination with a spiral spring fand belts, which are employed to drive or rotate the hat. Various devices and methods have been employed for pouncing hats, but as yet all have proved unsuccessful, and of little or no utility, for the reason the work could not be done uniformly, as some portions of the hat would be nearly cut through and seriously damaged by the operation. It has therefore for a long time been the great desideratum of hattcrs and inventors to overcome and obviate this difficulty. By our invention we have successfully overcome the difficulty so long encountered, so that hats can be pounced in the most rapid and perfect manner.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use our invention, we will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional elevation of our improved machine for pouncing hats.

Figure 2 is an end elevation, with a section removed for the purpose of showing the construction of the machine.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in each of the gures.

A represents the frame, that may be made of either wood or metal, of suitable height and form, upon the top of which is secured the lea't or top B, that is rectangular in form. C represents a hat upon the conical block D; the said block D is secured to the vertical shaft E by means of a screw-thread made upon the upper end of said shaft, so that diiferent sizes of blocks or forms may be used as desired for the construction or the forming of different kinds and sizes of hats. Over or around-Y the block D is closely fitted an annular conical disk, F,Ithat is allowed to move up and down on the block D, so as t9 correspond to the depth of the crown of the hat, where it is rigidly secured in its position by a tlexiblemetal band, G. The respective ends of said band Gr are secured together and firmly gripe the annular conical disk F by means of the screw-bolt a. At the periphery of the disk F is secured, by means of a joint or hinge, an annular ring or binder, H, for the purpose of holding the hat in its position upon the block D while being pounced. The shaft Eiruns in suitable bearings, which are secured to the fra-me L. At the lower end of the said shaft E is secured the bevel gear-wheel I that fits and meshes into a corresponding:r bevel gear-wheel, Jj the said wheel d is secured to the shaft K; the said slraft'K is provided with journals which run in suitable hearings; the said bearings are also secured to the frame L; the said frame L, being firmly secured to the under side of the top or leaf B, supports :rad carries the shafts E and K. Upon the outer end of the shaft K are secured the tight and loose pulleys M and N, to which the power is applied to drive the machine. O is a rock-shaft, having journals at each end that have bearings which work in the frame A. At a convenient distance on thesrock-shaft O is secured a treadle or shifting-lever, P, the upper end of which is bifurcated so as to admit the belt Q. At one end of the shifting-lever P is attached o. spiral spring, R, the other end of which is attached to the top or leaf, the said spring operating that end of the lever. S is a crank, provided and fitted to the shaft K for the purpose of operating the machine by hand when desired. v p

The operation consists in first raising up the binders H (as shown in red lines) and placing the hat upon the bloeit or former D, when the binder H is turned down, which fits just around the edge of the rim, where it is secured by means of the pin i, when the machine is put in motion by pressing d'own on the lever P, (which has its fulerum on the rockshai`t 0;) by this operation the belt Q is brought upon the face of the tight pulley, and the hat made to rotate, when the pouncing is manipulated by hand at leisure. By this means the operator is enabled to have perfect contrai of the pouncing, and can judge of' the extent and eiifect ofthe operation, so that he is not liable to injure the body of the hat by pouncing seme parts thinner than others, which is the cese when pounced by other methods. When the process of pouncing has been completed, by releasing the trendle or shifting-leverby the action of the spring upon the end of the said lever, the beit Q is thrown upon the loose pulley and the machine is stopped, when the pin z'is removeththe binder is raised, the hati placed upon the block for the seme purpose.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim as new, and

The sliding rimb1ock H, provided with the ring G, for adjusting button, H, in combination with the hat-block D, when arranged to o described, und for the purposes set forth.

emoveth and another desire to secure by Letters Patent, isithe same, and hnvin,y :t hinged ring or peinte substantially as herein shown' and CHAS. H. VANHOUTEN, JOS. M. CRANE.

Witnesses:

C. B. "NICHOLSON, C. Realms. 

